Payphone
by Aqueendia
Summary: A one-shot that is partly based on the song by Maroon 5. R&R?


**Payphone**

He had hurt her. Just like she had always known he would, but had been stupid enough to ignore. It shouldn't have come as a shock, really. Lily had always known that James Potter could not be trusted, that he was a liar and a cheater. So why had Lily fallen for his act, despite the knowledge she had possessed? She could blame James for newly broken hear, but she knew that the fault belonged to no one but her.

Sitting alone in a muggle café, all Lily wanted to do was phone her mother, to finally break down and release the emotional turmoil that was raging around inside of her. Unfortunately, she had no money on her, no way to use the payphone outside. Lily hadn't taken any of her things with her, except for her wand. She had left all of her stuff at the flat she had been sharing with James for the past few months. She would have to go back for them eventually.

What had happened to them? Lily could easily recall the happy memories, in which she had truly believed that James had loved her. They had so many plans for the future, plans that she had eagerly been dreaming of for a long time. Stupidly, she now knew, she had even thought that they would get married.

So what had changed him? It was painful to think about the times they had shared, but it was even more painful to realize that he would never stand by her side again. He had utterly destroyed their relationship, and she knew that she would never trust him again. She wasn't sure if she would trust _anyone_ again after this.

It was also painful to realize that these past few months, since they had started dating and left Hogwarts for the real world, had been a complete waste. In doing what he had had done, James had burned her and any connection that had one shared. This made Lily think of the the children's rhyme, London bridge is falling down. _More like Lily bridge is falling down_, she thought bitterly.

So the past four months had been nothing but a waste and a lie, the bright light of her blissful ignorance cut off by James' selfishness. As the anger slowly drained away, Lily was left instead feeling numb. She had no will or energy to move, practically paralyzed. Despite her feelings of hurt and betrayal, she wished that James was there to hold her and comfort. Those times were gone, however, their loved shattered beyond repair. Even in paradise, the sun had to set sometime. In her case, it set after just four short months.

Again, Lily was overcome with the urge to call her mother and cry, to admit that she had been right all along. Her mother had warned her about moving in with a boy she hardly knew. Why hadn't she listened to the woman that always knew what was best for her? She could have tried, but she was afraid that she would only splinch herself in this state of mind. There was only one other person that Lily could depend on, but she had no way to contact her either.

Lily doubted that she could perform a message patronus at the moment, either. So she was alone, without her mother or even her best friend, Marlene. Too depressed to perform such complicated magic, Lily was stuck at this café. It was near the flat, as she had walked, or rather run, here from there, but she didn't dare go back for anything. She wasn't strong enough to withstand James yet. She could only imagine what he would say.

James had already tried to win her back, right in front of the other, nameless girl. He had claimed that it been just a kiss, that it hadn't meant anything, but how could she knew it was true? Whoever had decided to write all those sappy, romantic love stories with all the happy endings was just kidding themselves. Real life didn't have happy endings. Lily knew that now. If happy endings _did_ exist, she wouldn't be sitting there. She'd have been at her flat with James, and they would still be in love.

Then, as if to taunt her, some gooey love song started playing on the radio in the café. _If I hear one more stupid love song, I'm going to be sick_, Lily thought.

James had turned his back on their future together, because he had somehow forgotten the past. He had somehow forgotten their brief happiness, and all the fun they'd had together. Lily hadn't forgotten the way James had always been able to make her laugh, always able to make her smile, no matter how down she had been feeling. It was still hard to believe that all of it was over and done with.

The thing that hurt the most is that Lily doubted he even cared how she was feeling. He had only apologized in an attempt to keep his options open, to make sure he always had something waiting for him. Lily wasn't going to be that for him, but she also couldn't help missing him. It was silly, because she had only been gone for a few hours. She shouldn't miss him at all, but that was love for you.

While Lily sat stewing in her thoughts, she was approached by one of the waitresses in the café. She was tall and blonde, with an annoyed expression on her face. "Look," she said to Lily, "I don't mean to be rude, but if you want to keep sitting here, looking miserable, you're going to have to buy something. Otherwise, you're going to have to leave."

Lily stared at the older girl in shock, blinking slowly. "I don't have any money on me," she whispered.

"Then my manager says you have to leave," the waitress replied, looking wholly unsympathetic.

Lily barely managed a nod as she got slowly to her feet and exited the café. Now she had nowhere to go, for she knew any other business would tell her the same thing. They didn't like freeloaders in their shops. Lily trudged down the street, stopping just a few yards away from the café to sit on a low brick wall. For a moment, she stared down at her shoes. Then, without warning, she burst into tears.

No one stopped to ask her if she was alright, and the way she was feeling, it didn't surprise her that everyone was being so rude. She hugged herself around the middle and rested her chin against her chest, letting the tears drip down her face, leaving her cheeks feeling hot and sticky.

"Excuse me, miss," someone said. "This is a no loitering zone. You're going to have to move."

Lily looked up to see a muggle policeman watching her. She brought her arm up and used her sleeve to wipe her eyes and said, "Sorry. I'll get moving."

The policeman, having seen that she was crying, seemed to soften a bit. "Do you need any help?" he asked kindly.

"I just want to phone my mum."

**A/N: The end. I didn't want this to be too long, and I didn't want it to get any more angsty than it already is. Well, I hope you enjoyed it! Please, please, please leave me a review! They make me day.  
&You should all know that I really love James Potter, and I felt bad writing him so horribly. Silly, I know, but what can you do?**


End file.
